{{Short description|American guitarist (1950–2018)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Wah Wah Watson | image = | caption = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = Melvin M. Ragin | birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|12|8}} | birth_place = Richmond, Virginia, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|10|24|1950|12|8}} | death_place = Santa Monica, California, U.S. | genre = R&B, soul, funk | occupation = Musician | instrument = Guitar | years_active = 1968–2018 | past_member_of = Funk Brothers | website = {{URL|wahwah.com}} }}

'''Melvin M. Ragin''' (December 8, 1950 – October 24, 2018), known professionally as '''Wah Wah Watson''', was an American guitarist who was a member of the Funk Brothers, the studio band for Motown Records. He also worked extensively as a session musician in a variety of genres from jazz and pop to R&B.

==Career== Ragin was a native of Richmond, Virginia. His father, Robert Ragin, was a minister, and his mother, Cora (Brown) Ragin was an evangelist. She bought him his first guitar when he was 15.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Pareles |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Pareles |date=November 1, 2018 |title=Wah Wah Watson, Guitarist Whose Sound Was Everywhere, Dies at 67 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/obituaries/wah-wah-watson-dead.html |access-date=February 25, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

He moved to Detroit in the 1960s<ref name=":0" /> and eventually became a member of the Motown Records studio band the Funk Brothers, where he recorded with artists like The Temptations (his guitar work on "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is particularly notable), the Jackson 5, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and the Supremes.<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=wah-wah-watson-mn0000225971 |tab=biography |pure_url=yes}} |title=Wah-Wah Watson Biography |first=Ron |last=Wynn |author-link=Ron Wynn |publisher=All Media Network |work=AllMusic |access-date=31 July 2015}}</ref> He played on numerous sessions in the 1970s and 1980s for many top soul, funk and disco acts, including Herbie Hancock; he both recorded and composed songs with the Pointer Sisters. His nickname stemmed from "wonderfully textured sounds"<ref>{{cite web|first=Elias|last=Leight|date=25 October 2018|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/wah-wah-watson-guitarist-dead-746962/|title=Wah Wah Watson, Guitarist for Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson, Dead at 67|website=RollingStone.com|access-date=2023-12-17}}</ref> he conjured using a wah-wah pedal to alter the sound of his electric guitar; he bought his first pedal after hearing Motown studio guitarist Dennis Coffey use one.<ref name=":0" />

From 1974-1980 Melvin Ragin worked extensively with Herbie Hancock, on the Secrets recording, track 1 had Wah Watson on Bass & voice bag with his friend Ray Parker Jr. on Guitar. That 1976 recording was co-produced by Wah Wah Watson.

When Motown relocated to Los Angeles, so did Ragin.<ref name=":0" /> In 1976, Watson released his first solo album, ''Elementary'', on Columbia Records. The album was co-produced by Watson and David Rubinson.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wah Wah Watson* – Elementary |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1290888-Wah-Wah-Watson-Elementary |access-date=February 25, 2024 |website=Discogs|date=1976 }}</ref>

In 1994, Watson appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album, ''Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool''. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by ''Time'' magazine.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}} In the 2000s, Watson appeared on the albums Maxwell's ''Now'' (2001), ''Black Diamond'' (2000) by Angie Stone, the soundtrack to the film ''Shaft'' (2000), ''Damita Jo'' (2004) by Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys' ''Unplugged'' (2005), and ''The Element of Freedom'' (2009).{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}} In 2010, Wah Wah Watson collaborated with alternative soul artist Res to create the song, "For Who You Are" on the Black Girls Rock album. The song is frequently played as a classic Chicago, Illinois "stepping" dance song with over [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIQqaP7USvM 10 million views on youtube].

==Death== Watson died on October 24, 2018, at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica.<ref>{{cite web|title= In Memoriam: Motown guitarist Wah Wah Watson (1950-2018) |website= Digital Journal |date=October 25, 2018 |access-date= October 25, 2018 |url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/entertainment/music/in-memoriam-motown-guitarist-wah-wah-watson-1950-2018/article/535358?noredir=1}}</ref> He was 67. He was survived by two sisters, two brothers, and his wife, Itsuko Aono. In a statement, Aono said, "Wherever he is, he’s groovin’.”<ref name=":0" />

==Discography== {{No sources|section|date=March 2024}}

===As leader=== * ''Elementary'' (1976)

===As sideman=== '''With Herbie Hancock''' * ''Death Wish (soundtrack)'' (1974) * ''Man-Child'' (1975) * ''Secrets'' (1976) * ''VSOP'' (1977) * ''Feets, Don't Fail Me Now'' (1979) * ''Monster'' (1980) * ''Mr. Hands'' (1980) * ''Dis Is Da Drum'' (1994)

'''With others''' * The Beach Boys, ''L.A. (Light Album)'' (1979) * George Benson, ''Love Remembers'' (1993) * George Benson, ''Songs and Stories'' (2009) * Yung Berg, ''Look What You Made Me'' (2008) * Blondie, ''Autoamerican'' (1980) * Donald Byrd, ''Thank You...For F.U.M.L. (Funking Up My Life)'' (Elektra, 1978) * Cher, ''Take Me Home'' (1979) * Four Tops, ''Nature Planned It'' (1972) * Marvin Gaye, ''Let's Get It On'' (1973) * Gloria Gaynor, "I Will Survive" (1978) * Dizzy Gillespie, ''Free Ride'' (1977) * John Lee Hooker, ''Free Beer and Chicken'' (1974) * Thelma Houston, ''Ride to the Rainbow'' (1979) * Bobbi Humphrey, ''Satin Doll'' (1974) * Janet Jackson, ''Damita Jo'' (2004) * Michael Jackson, ''Off the Wall'' (1979) * Michael Jackson ''Bad'' (1987) * The Jackson 5, ''ABC'' (1970) * Quincy Jones, ''Body Heat'' (1974) * Quincy Jones I Heard That!! (1976) * Quincy Jones, ''Q's Jook Joint'' (1995) * Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, ''Versus'' (1997) * Labelle, ''Chameleon'' (1976) * Maysa Leak, ''Out of the Blue'' (2002) * Love Unlimited, ''Under the Influence of...'' (1973) * The Love Unlimited Orchestra, ''Rhapsody in White'' (1974) * Maxwell, ''Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite'' (1994) * Maxwell, ''Now'' (2001) * Brian McKnight, ''Brian McKnight'' (1992) * Brian McKnight, ''I Remember You'' (1995) * Meshell Ndegeocello, ''Plantation Lullabies'' (1993) * Meshell Ndegeocello, ''Peace Beyond Passion'' (1996) * The Supremes, ''High Energy'' (1976) * Pointer Sisters, ''Steppin''' (1975) * Martha Reeves, ''Martha Reeves'' (1974) * Rose Royce, ''Car Wash'' (1976) * Boz Scaggs, ''Slow Dancer'' (1974) * The Temptations, ''All Directions'' (1972) * The Temptations, ''Masterpiece'' (1973) * Tyrese, ''Black Rose'' (2015) * The Undisputed Truth, ''The Undisputed Truth'' (1971) * Vanessa L. Williams ''The Comfort Zone'' (1991) * Stevie Wonder, ''Conversation Peace'' (1995)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|www.wahwah.com}} * {{AllMusic | id= wah-wah-watson-mn0000225971 | label= Wah Wah Watson}} * {{Discogs artist|272819-Melvin-Wah-Wah-Watson}} {{The Funk Brothers}}{{Authority control}}{{US-guitarist-stub}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Wah Wah}} Category:1950 births Category:2018 deaths Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:African-American guitarists Category:American funk guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:American rhythm and blues guitarists Category:American session musicians Category:American soul guitarists Category:Guitarists from Virginia Category:Jazz musicians from Virginia Category:Musicians from Richmond, Virginia Category:The Funk Brothers members Category:The Headhunters members Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:21st-century African-American musicians Category:The Love Unlimited Orchestra members